Summer safety tips

The kids are out (or nearly out) of school for the summer, which means all kinds of active fun under the sun. Bikes and boards are rolling; cool, blue water is beckoning…Naturally we want our kiddos to be as safe as possible when engaging in all of this summer fun, so let’s talk some Summer Safety Tips!

For starters, if you want hands-on lessons for the kids, then you’ll want to get them registered (sooner rather than later) in Oasis’s Waves & Wheels Youth Summer Fun Program, June 8 and 9, 9:30-11:30am. This program includes:

Introductory swim lesson and skill assessment

Water safety program

Spinal cord and brain injury awareness program and helmet scholarships by Billings Clinic

TrailNET of Billings will present bike rodeo and safety program

Plus!

A Bike give-away each day

If you sign up for swim lessons day of the program, get a 10% discount!

A free day pass to the Oasis

Snack bag for all participants

Bring:

Sun Safety

Okay, so obviously, sunscreen, right? All the sunscreen all the time – every time you’re heading outdoors (preferably 30 minutes before going out). And don’t forget to re-apply that sunscreen every couple of hours.

In addition to sunscreen, though, you can also help protect your skin by:

Covering up – this can mean the clothes you choose and/or the hats you wear. If wide-brimmed hats aren’t your thing, but baseball caps are, then don’t forget to screen the ears, neck, and face. (We should probably lather the screen regardless, in case we decide to lose the hat).

Sunglasses and Shade – Protect your eyes with sunglasses, and give your body a break from the rays from time-to-time, finding some shade along the way.

Riding Safety Tips:

Dress appropriately – Long or loose clothing can get caught in bike chains or wheel spokes.

Stay alert – Teach the kids to watch for vehicles.

Model good behavior – In other words, do what I do AND what I say. Lead by example by wearing a helmet when you ride.

Ride with traffic, not against it – Stay as far to the right as possible. Use appropriate hand signals and respect traffic signals, stopping at all stop signs and stoplights.

Stop and look left, right and left again before entering a street or crossing an intersection. Look back and yield to traffic coming from behind before turning left.

Be Bright. Use lights and reflectors so drivers can see you.

Skating/Skateboarding Safety Tips:

Age matters – According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children under 5 should never ride a skateboard. A child’s balance and judgment have not fully developed yet, which means a high risk for a serious injury.

Streets should be off-limits, as most in-line skating fatalities involve collisions with motor vehicles.

Different skates and different boards do different things, so make sure kids have the right gear for their activity.